3 Tips To Restore Energy During Breaks

Note: This article is from blogger Darius Foroux, who talks about the importance of taking breaks.

Whether you love your job or hate it, you actually work, and living is a job too, and it's a tough job. Just waking up in the morning can be a daunting task, and I'm not even talking about all the responsibilities we have.

So, why do you make your life harder and not take time off to regain your energy? I'm not talking about weekends full of activities or vacations where you work more than relax because this kind of “leisure time” is just a drain on energy. I'm talking about rest for a specific reason to restore your energy to live a productive life.

Rest reduces stress and improves productivity

Scientific research shows that vacation reduces stress and burnout, which is a decisive benefit of taking a few days off, but there are more benefits. I always care about productivity, and the question I have when I take a break or when I'm on vacation is: Will I get more done when I get back to work?

The answer is yes, but let's slow down. What does it mean to get more done? Getting things done has nothing to do with time, and you don't necessarily get more done if you work more hours. Research shows that working longer hours generally means less productivity.

That's because we often waste time if we have too much of it; it's pretty simple. For example, if I told you that you had a year to write an article, what would you do? You're putting it off till tomorrow, aren't you?

But what if I told you that you only had two hours? You're likely to start right away, so having more time off and fewer work days forces you to be more efficient in your time. Research shows that vacation won't make you more productive, but when you have more time off, you strongly desire to get more things done in less time.

This is a win for everyone, you and your company or your job; you take a few days off, get your energy back, spend time with your family or friends, and when you get back, you're more productive.

However, when your vacation is stressful, the positive benefits disappear. You should be aware of this, so try to reduce stress on your vacation, or you will have wasted a perfect opportunity to relax and increase your overall productivity.

I felt for a while that I needed to take a break for several reasons: I received some injuries that did not disappear, and I had less energy. I could have endured, but instead, I decided to go on vacation with my family. I did not do any work for a week, and when I came back, I was full of energy.

Tips that may help you take a break to regain your energy fully

1. Do whatever you want

There are no rules for taking vacations, and everyone relaxes differently. If you want to plan your vacation, do it, and if you want to spend it without prior planning, do it too. If you want to wake up early, do it, and if you do not like to wake up early, fall asleep in the morning. Even if you go on vacation with your partner, friends, or family, staying together is unnecessary 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because sometimes you can do things you enjoy too.

The main thing is that there are no expectations about your vacation for me. I do not like to post pictures of my vacations on social media because this will occupy my mind to take beautiful pictures constantly to impress others. You may also do things you usually do, not just to take pictures, but who cares? Focus on enjoying the moments you're experiencing, whatever those moments are.

2. Read a lot

American entrepreneur and programmer Bill Gates is known as a voracious reader and known to have a habit called “week of thinking” - doing nothing but reading and thinking.

You don't have to be Bill Gates to think about your life and career; We all have daily, weekly, and monthly routines. Habits and routines are beneficial, but still, you can feel constrained.

So, I recommend you stay away from your daily life and career. If you do, two things can happen: either to miss your daily life and not be able to wait until you continue from where you left off, or vice versa. That is, you will not want to return, and this is a sign that you need to make a change, but in both cases, the break always serves a specific purpose. It helps you regain your energy and will also make you think. That is why I like to read for hours on my vacations.

3. I am bored

One of my favorite strategies for finding new ideas is to get bored. It may seem easier than it is because of distractions. In the past, I used to do everything not to get bored, such as watching TV, going out with my friends, browsing social media, etc., but did you know that you can use boredom to your advantage?

Surrender to boredom and watch what your mind will lead to instead of giving in to distractions. Andy Warhol, one of my favorite artists, believed in boredom, and you can see it through the boring movies he made or the cues he made in his book The Philosophy of Andy Warhol about boredom.

When I face obstacles that prevent me from creating, I do nothing at all; try it sometimes; it is a great strategy, and you will probably come up with something great in your field.

In conclusion, the right time to take a break

When you feel like you need to take a break, you might say:

1. “I have to finish this project.”
2. "My boss will never accept it."
3. “People will think I'm lazy.”
4. "I don't have time."
5. "My family needs me."

I've been there, too, but what's your preference? Do you prefer to continue working without rest and burnout? Or take a break before you get tired?

So, before you use that excuse not to take a break, think about what all the people in your life should be doing if you're not here anymore. You're important, so take care of yourself, take a break, and come back with more energy.